Wheeled toy vehicle with cam operated oscillating chair and steering wheel

ABSTRACT

A toy boat has a hull with wheels, a simulated steering wheel and a simulated operator&#39;&#39;s chair. One of the wheels has a cam surface that moves reciprocally as the wheel rotates, and a cam follower engages the cam surface so as to oscillate an upright stem around its axis in response to wheel rotation. The operator&#39;&#39;s chair is mounted on the upright stem to oscillate therewith, and the steering wheel is preferably engaged by a projection from the chair for oscillating the steering wheel with the chair. The boat has an upper deck piece which is apertured and can be pivoted up to serve as a carrying handle. A retractable diving board and a pennant mounted on a tight coil spring may be mounted on the boat. Accessory figures and furnishings for use with the boat may be provided.

o 1 d R 1 rte Staes et 1 1 3,827,179 Refilling, Jr. 14 1 Aug. 6, 1974 [54] WHEELED TOY VEHICLE WITH CAM 2,487,940 11 1949 Pacheco 46/l07 OPERATED OSCILLATING CHAIR AND 3,300,894 l/l967 Glass et al. 46/204 X STEERING WHEEL P I E F B Sh I I rzmary xammer arry ay [75] Inventor. Victor C. Renlmg, Jr., East Aurora, Attorney, Agent or pirm cumpston, Shaw &

Stephens [73] Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company,

Chicago, Ill. 57 ABSTRACT [22] Filed: ec- 6, 1 7 A toy boat has a hull with wheels, a simulated steering wheel and a simulated operators chair. One of the [2]] Appl' 3l2683 wheels has a cam surface that moves reciprocally as the wheel rotates, and a cam follower engages the cam [52] US. Cl 46/204, 46/107, 74/96 surface so as to oscillate an upright stem around its [5]] Int. Cl A63h 17/25 axis in response to wheel rotation, The operators Field Of Search chair is mounted on the upright stem to oscillate therewith, and the steering wheel is preferably en- 96 gaged by a projection from the chair for oscillating the steering wheel with the chair. The boat has an upper [56] References Cited deck piece which is apertured and can be pivoted up UNlTED STATES PATENTS to serve as a carrying handle. A retractable diving 1 497 802 6/1924 Sneed 46/107 board and a pennant mounted on a tight coil spring 686 061 10/1928 Allingel'tlj:IIIIZIII: :11: 46/107 may be mounted on the boat- Accessory figures and 2:l58:426 5/1939 Regenburgh 46/107 furnishings for use with the boat y be provided- 2,370,532 2/1945 Gerlache 46/107 12 Cl 4 D F. 2,425,471 8/1947 Helgren 46/205 x rawmg gums PATENIEU AUG 61374 1 FIG. 3

I FIG. 2

WHEELED TOY VEHICLE WITH CAM OPERATED OSCILLATING CIIAIR AND STEERING WHEEL THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT The invention involves recognition of an interesting and entertaining way of moving action parts on a toy boat as the boat is moved along on its wheels. Moving parts on toy boats are generally known, but the invention effects a simple, workable, and especially entertaining motion that is advantageously integrated with other features. The invention also aims at safety, ruggedness, durability, capacity to withstand rough play, and various creative play possibilities in a toy boat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive toy boat has a simulated hull with wheels, a simulated steering wheel rotationally mounted above one of the wheels and a simulated operators chair behind the steering wheel. The wheel under the steering wheel has a cam surface with areas that in effect, move from side to side with respect to a vertical plane as the wheel rotates, and a cam follower engages the cam surface to follow the motion. The cam follower has an upright stem that oscillate, and the operators chair is mounted on the upright stem to oscillate as the wheel turns. Preferably the steering wheel has radial projections engaged by a projection from the chair for turning the steering wheel as the chair oscillates.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away, side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the inventive toy boat;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the boat of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the boat of FIG. 1, taken along the line 3 3 thereof; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the boat of FIG. 1, taken along the line 4 4 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Boat has a simulated hull II with a front wheel 12 and back wheels 13 and is generally shaped to simulate a houseboat. A main deck 14 is partially covered by a superstructure 15 covered by a pivotal upper deck 16 that is movable between the solid and broken line positions. This allows play access to the main deck interior of superstructure 15 which is also open at its forward end. Also deck piece 16 has a hole 37 serving as a carrying handle when deck piece 16 is pivoted upright. The after portion 17 of the upper deck is fixed over superstructure I5 and has an operators station including a chair l8 and a steering wheel 19. A pennant 20 is carried by a generally upright coil spring 21 secured to upper deck 17 near chair 18.

A simulated diving board 22 is extendible and retractable between the solid and broken line positions and has a location ring 23 on its upper surface for locating a simulated figure (not shown) to use the diving board in play. Diving board 22 has a projection 38 near its back end preventing it from being pulled all the way out of its slot in upper deck 17.

Boat 10 preferably has accessories (not shown) such as simulated figures to play on the boat, deck chairs, life preservers, a dinghy, etc. Boat l0v is preferably formed of molded plastic parts with the main body pieces comprising hull 1 l, a main deck piece 24, superstructure 15, fixed upper deck 17, and pivotal deck piece 16. Movable parts are arranged within these pieces and held in place when the assembly is secured together.

Wheel 13 has a cam surface 25 formed as a plane surface within the circumference of wheel 13 and angled from the radial plane of wheel 13 as best shown in FIG. 2. Cam surface 25 then describes a laterally reciprocal motion as wheel 13 rotates. Wheel 13 is held in place between supports 26 and 27 extending downward from main deckpiece 24, and the axle 28 of wheel 31 rests against the upper edges of an opening formed in the bottom of hull 11 as illustrated. Wheel 13 then rotates freely as boat 10 is moved along.

A cam follower 29 engages cam surface 25, and follower 29 has a pair of projections 30 spaced apart to straddle axle 28 and engage cam surface 25 approximately on the horizontal diameter of wheel 13. Follower 29 has an upright stem 31 that pivots reciprocally around its axis as wheel 13 rotates, and stem 31 extends upward through a sleeve 32 in main deckpiece 24.

Chair 18 has a downward extending support tube 33 fitted over stem 31 so that chair l8 pivots reciprocally with stem 31. This makes chair 18 turn from side-toside as boat 10 rolls along. Chair tube 33 has a projection 34 that fits between a pair of radially projecting handles 35 on steering wheel 19. Then, as chair tube 33 pivots, projection 34 turns from side to side and turns wheel 19 reciprocally in a small are as chair l8 pivots. Chair 18 has a recess 36 to hold a simulated figure (not shown) which turns from side to side with chair 18 behind steering wheel 19 which also pivots back and forth as boat 10 moves. Meanwhile, pennant 20 on spring staff 21 moves and jiggles and diving board 22 is extendible and retractable for simulated diving play. Deck piece 16 is also movable for varied play with simulated figures and accessories and for carrying boat 10 about. The total result is entertaining motions and a wide variety of creative play possibilities.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that other embodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances. Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing and defining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or related embodiments going beyond the semantic orientation of this application but falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate the variations in materials and configurations to accomplish the motions and features suggested by the invention for toy boats.

I claim:

1. A toy vehicle comprising:

a. a simulated boat hull having wheels with groundengaging surfaces thereon, said wheels being mounted on said hull for rotation about horizontal area;

b. a simulated steering wheel rotationally mounted on said vehicle generally above one of said wheels;

0. a simulated operators chair behind said steering wheel and generally above said one wheel;

(I. means for causing oscillation of said operators chair about a vertical axis, said means including a cam surface on said one wheel which rotates as said one wheel rotates;

e. said means further including a cam follower pivotally mounted on said vehicle and engaging said cam surface for oscillating movement during said one wheel rotation;

f. said cam follower having a stem extending vertically with respect to said hull and pivoted for oscillation around its vertical axis in response to said rtary motion of said cam;

g. said operators chair being mounted to oscillate with said stem as said one wheel rotates; and

h. means interconnecting said chair and said steering wheel for oscillating said steering wheel as said chair oscillates.

2. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means includes radial projections on said steering wheel, a projection on said chair fitting between a pair of said steering wheel projections to oscillate said steering wheel as said chair oscillates.

3. The toy vehicle of claim 2 including a simulated diving board mounted on said vehicle and retractable and extendable from the region of said chair.

4. The toy vehicle of claim 3 including a pennant and a generally upright coil spring mounted on said vehicle and flexibly supporting said pennant in the region of said chair.

5. The toy vehicle of claim 1 including a pivotally mounted upper deck piece in an upper central region of said vehicle and having a hole serving as a carrying handle when said deck piece is pivoted upright.

6. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said cam comprises a plane surface within the circumference of said one wheel and angled from the radial plane of said one wheel.

7. The toy vehicle of claim 6 wherein said follower comprises a pair of projections straddling the axis of said one wheel to engage said cam surface.

8. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein said projections engage said cam surface approximately on the horizontal diameter of said one wheel.

9. The toy vehicle of claim 8 wherein said interconnecting means includes radial projections on said steering wheel, has a projection on said chair fitting between a pair of said steering wheel projections to oscillate said steering wheel as said chair oscillates.

10. The toy vehicle of claim 9 including a pivotally mounted upper deck piece in an upper central region of said vehicle and having a hole serving as a carrying handle when said deck piece is pivoted upright.

11. The toy vehicle of claim 10 including a simulated diving board mounted on said vehicle and retractable and extendible from the region of said chair.

12. The toy vehicle of claim 11 including a pennant and a generally upright coil spring mounted on said vehicle and flexibly supporting said pennant in the region of said chair. 

1. A toy vehicle comprising: a. a simulated boat hull having wheels with ground-engaging surfaces thereon, said wheels being mounted on said hull for rotation about horizontal area; b. a simulated steering wheel rotationally mounted on said vehicle generally above one of said wheels; c. a simulated operator''s chair behind said steering wheel and generally above said one wheel; d. means for causing oscillation of said operator''s chair about a vertical axis, said means including a cam surface on said one wheel which rotates as said one wheel rotates; e. said means further including a cam follower pivotally mounted on said vehicle and engaging said cam surface for oscillating movement during said one wheel rotation; f. said cam follower having a stem extending vertically with respect to said Hull and pivoted for oscillation around its vertical axis in response to said rotary motion of said cam; g. said operator''s chair being mounted to oscillate with said stem as said one wheel rotates; and h. means interconnecting said chair and said steering wheel for oscillating said steering wheel as said chair oscillates.
 2. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said interconnecting means includes radial projections on said steering wheel, a projection on said chair fitting between a pair of said steering wheel projections to oscillate said steering wheel as said chair oscillates.
 3. The toy vehicle of claim 2 including a simulated diving board mounted on said vehicle and retractable and extendable from the region of said chair.
 4. The toy vehicle of claim 3 including a pennant and a generally upright coil spring mounted on said vehicle and flexibly supporting said pennant in the region of said chair.
 5. The toy vehicle of claim 1 including a pivotally mounted upper deck piece in an upper central region of said vehicle and having a hole serving as a carrying handle when said deck piece is pivoted upright.
 6. The toy vehicle of claim 1 wherein said cam comprises a plane surface within the circumference of said one wheel and angled from the radial plane of said one wheel.
 7. The toy vehicle of claim 6 wherein said follower comprises a pair of projections straddling the axis of said one wheel to engage said cam surface.
 8. The toy vehicle of claim 7 wherein said projections engage said cam surface approximately on the horizontal diameter of said one wheel.
 9. The toy vehicle of claim 8 wherein said interconnecting means includes radial projections on said steering wheel, has a projection on said chair fitting between a pair of said steering wheel projections to oscillate said steering wheel as said chair oscillates.
 10. The toy vehicle of claim 9 including a pivotally mounted upper deck piece in an upper central region of said vehicle and having a hole serving as a carrying handle when said deck piece is pivoted upright.
 11. The toy vehicle of claim 10 including a simulated diving board mounted on said vehicle and retractable and extendible from the region of said chair.
 12. The toy vehicle of claim 11 including a pennant and a generally upright coil spring mounted on said vehicle and flexibly supporting said pennant in the region of said chair. 